The present disclosure relates to a fixing device which fixes a toner image on a sheet and an image forming apparatus including the same.
An electrophotographic type image forming apparatus includes a fixing device which fixes a toner image transferred on a sheet, such as a paper, on the sheet.
An example of the fixing device includes a pressuring roller which comes into pressure contact with an endless fixing belt which is heated. A pressing pad comes in contact with an inner circumferential face of the fixing belt to press the fixing belt to the pressuring roller. The pressing pad is made of material having a high elastic coefficient. Pressing force of the pressing pad to the pressuring roller is higher at a downstream side than at an upstream side in a movement direction of the fixing belt. By rotating the fixing belt with large curvature at an exit of a pressure contact area, the sheet can be separated from the fixing belt adequately.
Another example of the fixing device includes a pair of upper and lower approach guides which guides the sheet to a fixing nip. Each approach guide is fixed to a frame of the fixing device.